How to Move to Taiwan on a Working Holiday Visa

Are you a young person looking to expand your horizons by experiencing a foreign culture, but you’re not sure where to get started? Consider applying for a working holiday visa in Taiwan!

I personally moved to Taiwan in 2017 on a working holiday visa, promptly found multiple jobs after arriving, and ended up signing a full-time contract to return the following year. The whole process was simple, relatively inexpensive, and effectively gave me a lot of freedom to pursue multiple projects (including this blog!).

Here’s what you need to know about eligibility, the application procedure, and the capabilities/restrictions under the working holiday scheme:

Eligibility

As of this article’s posting, Taiwan currently has working holiday agreements with the following countries:

• Australia
• Austria
• Belgium
• Canada
• Czech Republic
• France
• Germany
• Hungary
• Ireland
• Japan
• Luxembourg
• New Zealand
• Poland
• Slovakia
• South Korea
• United Kingdom

You must be a citizen of one of the above countries to apply, and you must also have:

• An age of 18 – 30 (or 35 in a few cases — check your country’s age restrictions here).
• No dependants listed in the application
• A passport valid for at least 1 full year from planned arrival in Taiwan
• Sufficient finances for a roundtrip flight ticket and NT$100,000 in living expenses
• Full medical and hospitalization insurance during stay in Taiwan
• Proof that your primary intention is to holiday in Taiwan (employment is incidental and supplemental)

Application Requirements

You can apply for a working holiday visa at the Taipei Representative Office (similar to a consulate or embassy, maybe under a different name) in your home country. Some offices may require you to apply in person with an interview, but others accept mail-in applications. Here’s what you’ll need to submit:

1. Completed visa application form (differs by country)
2. Passport valid for more than 1 year
3. Two 2-inch colour photos taken within 6 months
4. Round trip flight ticket to Taiwan (or proof of ability to purchase it)
5. Proof of minimum NT$100,000 in finances
6. Proof of full medical and hospitalization insurance for duration of stay in Taiwan
7. Health check certificate completed by a doctor (only required by some countries – including Australia and Canada)
8. Outline of general plan for stay in Taiwan (to prove your primary purpose is holiday rather than employment)
9. Visa fee of NT$3200

Each country has negotiated their own set of terms as part of the Working Holiday arrangement with Taiwan. Check this page for more specifics on the application process and visa conditions for your respective country.

Tips: You should probably confirm with your respective consulate/embassy/representative office that you meet all of the eligibility requirements BEFORE you purchase flight tickets and medical insurance for a year. The application process will probably take about a week at least (during which time you won’t have your passport – so make sure you apply early!).

Moving to Taiwan

Your working holiday visa will take up a page in your passport, and it will be classified as a “Visitor” visa (though it will be marked as a valid employment permit).

Here’s what you can and can’t do with your new visa:

Can

• Stay in Taiwan from the date your visa is issued until its expiry, which is usually 12 months (though the initial stay is 180 days, and you must apply for an extension at the National Immigration Agency within the 15 days prior to that)
• Leave Taiwan and re-enter on the same visa (it’s good for multiple entries)
• Pick up and drop any short-term employment at your own will (a HUGE benefit considering you’re not tied to / dependent on any single employer to sponsor your visa, which means less stress and more flexibility)
• Apply for a resident ID number at the National Immigration Agency (which is helpful when setting up a phone plan and bank account)
• Get a SIM card and sign a contract with a Taiwanese service provider (as opposed to getting a prepaid phone plan)
• Open a bank account*

*Note that this was difficult, because many banks only accept an ARC. Even when I tried Mega Bank (which I was told would accept a working holiday visa to open an account) I was denied the first time. Later, I went to a different Mega Bank branch and was successful after a bit of persistence.

Keep in mind working holiday visas are relatively uncommon in Taiwan, meaning most average Taiwanese service workers won’t have encountered one before. At times I had to be a little bit pushy while insisting my visa was valid for employment and signing up for various services.

Can’t

• Apply for a different type of visa after arriving
• Take formal courses of study (besides Chinese language courses that are no more than 3 months in duration)
• Get an ARC (Alien Resident Card) — which means you’ll often need to carry your passport containing your visa
• Enrol in NHI (Taiwan’s national health insurance program – as stated above, you need to have your own health insurance coverage for the duration of your stay)

Besides that, you’re good to go explore, work, and enjoy all that Taiwan has to offer.

For more information, check out the Bureau of Consular Affairs website. If you have any questions about moving to Taiwan on a working holiday visa, please contact us or leave a comment below!

Updated: January 2019